Conventionally, manual labor has been used to cover a bale of cotton or other fibrous material with a bag to protect the bale from damage or contamination during transport, and some instances to comply with trade requirements. To bag a bale using prior art methods, one or, more commonly, two or more workers must extend an open end of a bag over a bale chute in preparation for the bale to be inserted through the bale chute and into the bag, preventing the workers from accomplishing other tasks during this time. Conventional bale bagging devices also contain numerous moving parts, on which workers may catch themselves or clothing, causing serious injuries, death, and/or property damage.